Construction To Begin On Phase One This Fall

The Collingwood Downtown Revitalization plan has expanded, thanks to phase one costs coming in 2.1 million dollars under the original 7 million dollar budget. Collingwood council has approved a motion that will now see the contract for work awarded to Georgian Paving and Construction. The local firm submitted a quote of slightly more than 4.8 million dollars for phase one construction which will include the widening of downtown Hurontario Street sidewalks, improved traffic lights and new street lighting. Because of the financial savings for phase one, council has agreed to proceed with phase two as well which will now expand the boundaries from Fourth Street to Hume Street.

Collus Executive Director Ed Houghton says work along Second and Simcoe Streets, and along Hurontario Street between Second and Third Streets could begin this fall, with further construction work planned for April 2010

Downtown Collingwood BIA Chair Jeffrey Shearer was all smiles at a Friday, June 13th outdoor press conference in Downtown Collingwood. M.P. Helena Guergis was on hand that day to deliver a cheque from the federal government in the amount of $2 million dollars for the Downtown Collingwood Infrastructure Rehabilitation and Economic Revitalization Plan. In addition, the provincial government contributed $2 million dollars to the project, the Town of Collingwood will invest $2 million dollars and the Collingwood Downtown Business Improvement Area will add another $1 million dollars to the downtown revitalization project.

Mr. Shearer said that the funding announcement assured the future for the downtown, adding that the timing was right for the project to move forward, thanks to the generous federal and provincial funding initiatives. "It will be a dramatic improvement over what we have" Shearer added.

Downtown Collingwood business owner and BIA board member Michael Christie said that the funding announcement was "very satisfying" in light of the extensive planning that has gone in to the downtown revitalization plan.